Tie-Off Selection — What Makes a Good Anchor
Construction and general industry · Ver en español
Talking points
- An anchorage for personal fall arrest must support at least 5,000 pounds per worker attached — or be designed by a qualified person as part of a complete PFAS with a safety factor of two.
- Structural steel beams, columns, and engineered anchorage points are typically acceptable. Guardrails, conduit, piping, ventilation ductwork, and rebar are almost never acceptable anchorages.
- Portable anchorage devices — beam clamps, parapet anchors, and weighted roof anchors — are engineered solutions for locations without permanent anchorages. Use them per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Anchorage height matters. The higher the anchorage above your D-ring, the shorter the freefall and the less clearance distance required. Tie off at or above your D-ring whenever possible.
- Cross-arm straps (beam wraps) are useful for steel beams but reduce the rated capacity of the strap at sharp edges. Use padding on sharp corners and verify the strap rating for the beam size.
Ask the crew
What are you planning to tie off to today — and does it meet the 5,000-pound requirement?
Standards this talk is built on
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